February Half Term Help from Priory Rotary

The King’s Lynn Food Bank have been given a donation of £750 in food vouchers from Priory Rotary Club in King’s Lynn to provide help for families in time for the February holiday period.

Last year Norfolk County Council changed the way direct support is provided to those families whose children normally receive free school meals during holiday periods. With local families struggling with finances as the cost-of-living crisis continues, and annual food inflation announced last week at 17%, Priory Rotary have purchased 75 special “grocery only” £10 gift cards for the food bank to distribute to King’s Lynn families most in need.

Priory Rotary member Rob Colwell said “We hope that these gift cards go some way to help those families who might otherwise struggle over the school holidays to feed their children. The cards can only be used to buy food from Sainsburys supermarket in town or Hardwick and do not work on other items. Whilst previous help from our members has focused on specific lunch items, this voucher option allows choice, and we are aware that some children might have specific dietary requirements. We had some money not allocated from last year’s Swimarathon and it seemed the ideal opportunity to help the local community before the next annual event on the 25 February, held at St James Pool.

If you would like to help raise money for local charities, there is still time to enter a team. Please visit www.prioryrotary.org.uk for more information.

Helen Gilbert, Project Manager of King's Lynn Foodbank said "We are very grateful for the vouchers donated by Priory Rotary which will make a real difference to families during the half term week, relieving some of the stress and anxiety that carers feel when trying to ensure that their children are healthily fed whilst struggling to make ends meet. During the winter period we've seen more families than ever using the Foodbank so this is very timely support. "

The Rotary group would also like to use this opportunity to promote the phone App called “Bank the Food” which provides a regularly updated list of items needed by the foodbank which is easy to access whilst shopping. They are encouraging people to download (iPhone and android). It is noted on the App that the food bank this week are particularly interested in donations of tinned fruit, tinned meat, jars of cooking sauce, rice pudding, custard, toothpaste, deodorant, squash or long-life fruit juices.